Stop for a moment and think about the last promotional event you attended. It could be a concert, a festival, a trade show, or a product launch. You probably walked into the venue and glanced around at the sea of tents and banners. Then maybe you subconsciously veered towards one. Can you recall what caught your attention? Maybe it was a brand you’re familiar with. Or maybe the stand was playing loud music, or had a colourful display. The thing with these kinds of events is it’s easy to get lost in the crowd – literally.

Some guests attend the event with a distinct agenda. They may have a list of stands they want to visit, so they’ll pass by each one, ticking them off as they go. Then if they still have time, they might pop into whichever additional booth grabs their attention. Other event visitors are more causal in their approach. They just wander around looking for something fun. Ideally, you want to attract both kinds of prospects. You want to be arresting enough that fans make a bee-line for your pop-up shop.

But you also want to be so intriguing that you call out to passers-by and lure them to your stand. Unusual brand layouts are a good way to do this, especially if they incorporate multimedia elements. So if your budgets allow it, hire a DJ for the day. It could be difficult for attendees to hear your music over the crowd though. You could overcome this using the ‘silent disco’ approach. It’s a trend in clubs where revellers receive colour-coded headphones at the door. Each colour is connected to particular DJ or music genre, so everyone at the disco is literally dancing to their own tune.

The sound of silence

And if you want to just chill out and converse with friends, you can take the headphones off and enjoy the quieter, chat-friendly ambience. You could try this for your stand, giving visitors 10 to 15 minute headphone sessions so they can enjoy an immersive experience with your brand. Of course the stand itself can be eye-popping. Consider floating an inflatable blimp a few metres above your stand. Attendees can spot it from any part of the venue, and it may pique their interest enough that they come over to find out more. Other aerial tools include coloured lights that beam out of your stand.

These are more visible in darkened rooms (or night-time outdoor events), but you could rent a smoke machine. If you release (environmentally friendly) plumes above your stand, then the coloured lights are easier to spot, even during the day. Just be sure to check in with event organisers – you don’t want to trigger smoke alarms and end up getting swarmed by the fire department. Of course inflatables don’t have to be restricted to the space above the crowd. You could make your stand … stand out … using inflatable furniture. You can install an entrance arch, a reception desk, chairs, lounge sofas, or even a bed.

Get their feet wet

For summertime festivals, consider inflatable foot-dipping pools. It’s sure to entice visitors to your stand. Just make sure it’s small enough and shallow enough that they don’t try to slip in more than their legs. Also, keep it in an open area that’s better ventilated – you’ll all need it once the shoes come off. Although we’ve only spoken about analogue materials so far, you could really wow your fans with digital screens. Think about something like a Webloc pop-up. It uses a combination of aluminium frames and fabrics finished with a silicone edge.

These types of stands look smooth and futuristic, because the edge is tucked into a hidden groove and you can’t see where the seam is. You can buy a regular fabric Webloc or a LCD-based Spidermount. Both use the same framing technology, but one drapes the stand with taut fabric while the other covers the frame with digital HDTV screens. They’ll definitely catch the eyes (and ears) of the crowd, and they can be set up in minutes. Of course you don’t have to go that hi-tech if your budget leaves no room for it. You can still be sweet and simple.

For example, even the most basic retractable banners can express their snap and crackle through backlighting. Pick double-sided pull-up banners that are hollow in the middle. Some have lighting fixtures in the hollow portion, so you can install coloured bulbs that will light up a darkened exhibition hall, acting as a beacon for prospects and fans. You could get something one-sided too, with overhead front-lights. Also, consider PromoDek. Its interlocking floor tiles offer a pleasant contrast from the boring concrete floors, drab carpet, or unadorned turf of other exhibition stands, so shop widely, and get creative!